If you have recently registered for housing and been given priority you may be waiting many years before bidding successfully for a property through Choice Based Lettings (CBL). It is therefore important that you understand the process.

Projections - Each year the Council sets out the number of households we aim to re-house across each priority group and bed size.

In order to achieve this and to ensure that all priority households that are eligible to bid via CBL have an opportunity to bid successfully, some households will be unable to bid for certain periods during the year. For example, if your re-housing list has been met for the year you will not be able to bid until the following year.

The number of lettings (re-housings) we aim to do for each group is decided on a yearly basis from April to March and depends on our priorities for that year. Information is available on the website as to whether bidding is open to your priority group.

Mobility Category - To ensure that we make the best use of our housing stock and that applicants are re-housed into the most suitable accommodation for their needs every household and property is given a mobility category (1, 2, 3 or 4).

Applicants that cannot manage stairs and who require a level access property are given mobility category 3 and will have priority over those who can manage stairs (mobility category 4). If you therefore bid for a mobility category 3 property and you have been assessed with mobility category 4, you may not be shortlisted for the property even if you have the most points.

Households requiring a property suitable for a wheelchair user are given mobility category 1 or 2. Due to the very limited number of wheelchair properties available and the specific requirements of wheelchair applicants, these applicants are given a direct offer of suitable accommodation and will not participate in CBL.

Bedroom Standard - Bedroom standards vary between the Council and Registered Providers (RP). Each RP has their own bedroom standard and you may not be shortlisted to view an RP property if you do not meet their bedroom criteria.

Withdrawn Properties - Some properties may be withdrawn from the bidding process. This may be due to the property being required for an urgent direct offer. If a property is likely to be withdrawn for a direct offer the advert will inform you of this. On occasions properties have been withdrawn at short notice by the Registered Provider. This is usually because the property is not ready to let.

Time Limited Bidding - Some applicants will be given a specific period of time to bid successfully. If unsuccessful during this period applicants will be given one direct offer of a suitable property. If the direct offer is not accepted by the applicant it is likely that their application will be removed from the housing register and they will no longer have priority to bid for another property.

If you have been advised that you have a limited time to bid it is important that you bid for as many properties as possible during the bidding period as this will give you the best opportunity of getting the property you want.